Bloemfontein:
At the heart of the Free State Province lies the artistic city of Mangaung/ Bloemfontein which is home to some of the country's most fanatical football supporters. The city's open spaces reflect the openness of its people - friendly, warm and quietly dignified. The city's citizens are a unique blend of rural tranquility and vibrant city life.
Name: Mangaung / Bloemfontein
Province: Free State
Population: 850 000
Altitude: 1400m
Geography: The city is located in central South Africa on the Free State Plateau. The landscape is accentuated by grassland plains and low hills.
Climate: : Dry winters, from May to August with temperatures around 17° C in the day and reaching -2° C at night. Summer ranges from October to February and city is much warmer, around 30° C during the day and cloud bursts in the afternoon.
Key Economic Sectors: Trade, Finance, Transport
Professional Football Clubs: Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Stars (Premier League) Carara Kicks (1st Division)
Hotel/Accommodation:
Florentia Guest House Bloemfontein
Southern Sun Hotel Bloemfontein
College Lodge Hotel Bloemfontein
City Lodge Hotel Bloemfontein
Southern Sun Hotel Bloemfontein
College Lodge Hotel Bloemfontein
City Lodge Hotel Bloemfontein
Free State Stadium:
Home to some of the country's most fanatical group of supporters, the Free State Stadium is likely to be the centre of attention during the FIFA World Cup™. The stadium was given a plush new look for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup . It hosted the memorable semi-final match between Spain and USA where the latter secured one of the biggest surprises of the tournament by sending the European champions packing in front of a capacity crowd.
Stadium: Free State
City: Mangaung / Bloemfontein
Built: 1952
Construction: medium upgrade
Completion: 2008
Gross Capacity (after upgrade): 48,000
Matches:
14 June - 16:00Group E Japan-Cameroon
17 June - 16:00Group B Greece-Nigeria
20 June - 13:30Group F Slovakia-Paraguay
22 June - 16:00Group A France-South Africa
25 June - 20:30Group H Switzerland-Honduras
27 June - 16:00Round of 161D-2C
